So last week I said that my next post would be either fluffy 80s pop or hardcore industrial depending on my mood.
Well, I just put $600 in my car, got a bad grade on an assignment and was blacklisted from something for reasons I can’t get into. So that means no Spandau Ballet today. Well, not everything tonight is industrial, but it’s all shit I can listen to when I want to punch a hole in the wall (which I really shouldn’t do now that I’m a homeowner).
Revolting Cocks
No Devotion
Attack Ships…
…On Fire
I think 80 billion people have worked with Ministry’s Al Jourgensen and his side-project Revolting Cocks. The list includes Jello Biafra, Robin Zander (yes, the guy from Cheap Trick), Rick Nielson (yes, the other guy from Cheap Trick), Billy Gibbons (from ZZ Top), Chris Connelly, Luc Van Acker and countless others. These 12” remixes are from the single for ‘No Devotion’ which was the very first release under the Revolting Cocks name. They’re also available on the CD re-issue of their first album Big Sexy Land.
Pig
My Favourite Car
Never For Fun
Hildelinde
You gotta appreciate a name as simple as Pig. In actuality he’s Raymond Watts, an early member of the industrial outfit KMFDM. So, you can assume he’s a happy fellow with an upbeat look on life. Just kidding, he probably wants to fuck the world. These are really early industrial tunes (circa 88) so they aren’t as aggressive and menacing as other examples from the genre. I still dig them though. These tracks are all on Pig’s debut record, which is out of print in the states. By the way, ‘Hildenlinde’ is a traditional German folk song or something.
Cyberaktif
Temper (Ext. Mix)
Meltdown (Parody)
Dream Needle
I must say that Cyberaktif is the most retarded alternative spelling of a word for a band name this side of Puddle of Mudd. Still, they rocked out some great industrial stuff during their short existence (they only released one LP and a few singles). Cyberaktif consisted of members for Front Line Assembly and Skinny Puppy, two of the earliest contributors to the industrial genre. These tracks are from the ‘Temper’ 12” single.
Skinny Puppy
Chainsaw
Assimilate (R 23 Mix)
Cage
Stairs And Flowers (Def Wish Mix)
Stairs And Flowers (Too Far Gone Mix)
Speaking of Skinny Puppy, here are some remixes from the uber-influential industrial pioneers. I’ve never been hugely into Skinny Puppy before, but now that getting more and more into industrial music I’m getting more curious about them. Anyone have any recommendations?
Alec Empire & El-P
Shards Of Pol Pottery (Hard Mix)
Shards Of Pol Pottery (No Wave Mix)
I love me some Digital Hardcore insanity. As you may or may not know (depending on your level of awesomeness) Alecc Empire was the creative force behind Atari Teenage Riot and nearly singlehandedly created the digital hardcore genre. I like to describe digital hardcore as a combination of punk, electronic music and punching a dude in the face. The craziest stuff by ATR and Alec Empire is ideal for people who think Slayer is easy-listening. Especially adventurous souls should check out their Live At Brixton Academy album, which is nothing more than 26 minutes of ear-bleeding noise. After one listen of that record you’ll think Metal Machine Music is for fucking pussies. Anyways, these two remixes of this collaboration with El-P are not nearly as caustic and abrasive as anything off of Alec’s other CDs, but are still pretty intense.
i’ve got two skinny puppy album suggestions for you:
if you really dug “chainsaw” & “stairs and flowers (too far gone)” then you’d prolly like “mind: the perpetual intercourse”. those tracks are two of four tracks that were added as bonus tracks on the cd version. it also contains the ever popular “dig it”.
if you really dug “assimilate (r-23)”. then you’d prolly like the album “bites”. although, i’m not entirely sure if any of the current pressings contain the “(r-23)” version on it as the first release did. but if you can find it, i’d recommend “bites and remission” which is a collection of tracks from “bites” and “remission”. its like atari teenage riot’s “burn berlin burn” in that only tracks from 2 albums are used. that and both of them are out of print (at least, i think “bites and remission” still is).
as for tracks that you may like, i recommend the following:
from “mind: the perpetual intercourse”
“love”
“burnt with water”
“dig it (12 inch version)”
“gods gift (maggot)”
from “the process”
“death”
from “bites and remission”
“smothered hope”
“far too frail”
“the choke (regrip)”
“basement”
As a long time fan, I think that Drain has made some pretty good suggestions.
“12 Inch Anthology” is another good listen, with more “club oriented” remixes (including, I think, the four you just posted). A good introduction.
A few of my favourite tracks (unmentioned so far):
“Deep Down Trauma Hounds” from “Cleanse Fold and Manipulate”
“Rodent” from “Rabies”
“Nature’s Revenge” from “Too Dark Park”
“Testure” from “ViviSECT VI”
And even though their newer stuff doesn’t have quite the same effect on me “Use Less” from “Greater Wrong of the Right” is pretty good.
Holy dude…I adore “Bits of Pol Pottery”….YOU DA MAN.
I’d be digging on the same shit if all that crap had happened to me….And I’m digging on it anyway, so yeah.
Digital Hardcore 4 t3h win 😛
Also:
I’m just curious though how you seem to think that industrial music wasn’t all that “hard” yet circa the late 80s…Because you’d slap yourself once you remembered that Einstürzende Neubauten had been pounding the shit out of very literally industrial equipment since the dawn of the 80s. Oh, how I love them.
I don’t think you’ve mentioned them yet in this blog, unless of course I’m just a mistaken wench?
I have NOT mentioned Einstürzende Neubauten yet, simply because I know very little about them and haven’t heard that much. Good mention though!
Dig It and Smothered Hope are my faves – absolutely brilliant tunes.
– M Cool
Thanks for posting “No Devotion”. classic track.
I thought i’d chime in, since i’ve been an noise/industrial/ebm freak for a long, long time now..
if you like true “industrial” music definitely check out “Strategies Against Architecture II” by Einsturzende Neubauten. that’s a collection of their peak material, in my opinion. i say “true” because they literally use homemade machines (in conjunction with traditional instruments) to make their music.
also, if you want to hear some of the most brutal NoWave from the 80’s, you have to listen to the Swans. no other band has scarred (and hell, even scared) me. they started off making insane sadistic tribal noise, and ended up (in the 90’s) making beautiful apocalyptic folk music. it’s all great, but for shear power check out their album “Cop”.
oh, and if you haven’t already, check out Merzbow. He’s a Japanese guy who has been making power-noise for decades now. and it is some serious stuff, trust me.
ok now for the EBM: early DAF (deutch americanische freundschaft, early to mid Front 242, anything from Front Line Assembly made before 1993, Nitzer Ebb (That Total Age, and Belief)
Wumpscut is really good, if not a bit on the evil side.
skinny puppy is some of the scariest sounds I’ve heard in my life.
As far as SP goes I would really push you into the direction of 3 records. VIVIsect VI (which is with out a doubt my favorite Puppy record of all time, and was an influence on countless records after. Plus it is the best kind of distorted) Too Dark Park (which is much more of an industrial dance record, but really effin psychedelic- think BAD TRIP) and finally, The Process. It was the final proper Skinny Puppy album. It still sounds pretty damn fresh considering it is 11 years old now. (after that you would have to own Last Rights (which is the best sound design on any record hands down) and Mind:TPI which was my intro to the band.
Am I correct in guessing you are from the Pittsburgh area? If so you should pop out to the goth night on saturdays dahn town at pegasus. I think you will really dig it this week as my band mate and I are leaning more towards the old school then normal.
Alec Empire & EL-P = amazing hip hop
http://www.eyho-blog.com